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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26960269">Hair as Golden as Magic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku'>OhanaHoku</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 Prompts [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Human Sacrifice, Kid Fic, Kidnapping, Protective Balinor, Protective Will, Ritual Sacrifice, Run!, Sacrifice, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, no. 9 - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:02:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26960269</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three sorceresses kidnap the child Emrys, but do they have the right child? And what mysterious stranger comes to save him?</p><p>Day Nine of Whumptober 2020 - For the Greater Good - "Run!", Ritual Sacrifice</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Balinor &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Balinor &amp; Will (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Will (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 Prompts [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hair as Golden as Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is late, but life happens. I'll be getting caught up soon, I promise! </p><p>Set in an au where Will had blonde hair as a child, and Balinor knew of and kept watch over Merlin from the shadows. Triggers in tags.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>     “Which one do you think it is, sisters?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “It can’t be the raven-haired boy. He’s too scrawny to be healthy with magic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Agreed. But the other boy. He is nicely sized, and that hair. It’s as golden as a warlock’s eyes. He must be Emrys.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     With their decision whispered between them, the three sorceresses swooped down upon the unsuspecting children. “My, my, what have we here?” Asked the ringleader, wringing her hands in a worrying manner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Two lost little boys, hmm?” Another cackled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “We’re not lost.” Declared the golden-haired child confidently. “Who are you?” He demanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Will, stop. Let’s just go.” Merlin said, tugging on Will’s sleeve as he glanced uneasily at the three elderly women dressed in black.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Oh, you’re not going anywhere, little one. Or rather, your friend isn’t. You see, we need this one for something very, very special.” Said one of them, reaching to grab Will.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “What? No!” Merlin shouted, jumping in front of Will. “Leave him alone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     The sorceresses laughed, tittering in amusement before one of them knelt down in front of Merlin. “This one is a brave boy.” She said before whispering something quietly to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     The boy blinked slowly as the spell was cast over him, swaying slightly before pitching forward into her arms, sound asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     Will’s eyes widened. “Hey! What did you do to him?” He asked, rushing to Merlin before he was merely kicking in the air as he was picked up. “Lemme go!” He screamed, trashing in their hold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     Another whisper had the boy going limp in their hold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>%%%%%%%%%%%</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     When Will next woke up, he was spread out on an orange-colored stone slab, his tiny wrists and ankles bound with ropes tied to four posts at each corner of the rectangular altar. The boy watched with a nervous look as the three women started to place objects around him on the slab, an odd-looking bone, a crow’s feather, a medallion with a dragon on it, and a few other things he didn’t recognize.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     He glanced around, seeing Merlin nowhere in sight. He sighed, hoping that meant they had left him alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Are we ready, sisters?” The oldest asked, answering her own question in the next breath. “Yes, I think we are. Time to start the ritual. Time to start!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     They formed a triangle over him, one at his head and two at his sides, grabbing each others’ hands. With a wicked look of delight, they started to chant but didn’t utter more than a few words before a loud voice boomed out. “Get away from him this instant!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     They were flown back, away from the altar, and Will lifted his head to see a man walking toward them, his eyes glowing with magic, and his curly dark hair flowing over his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     The ropes restraining Will snapped, and the boy grinned, scrambling up and off the slab of stone. He was quickly pulled away and pushed towards the forest by the man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     “Go, run away from here!”  He said, glancing back at the women as they stirred, and one of them shrieked, lifting a hand towards them. “Run!” He shouted, giving him another shove. “Your friend is waiting for you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>     Will saw the ball of fire forming in the woman’s hand and wasted no more time, turning to run into the forest.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Word Count - 552. This one is pretty random, but whatever. I had a hard time with this prompt, so it is what it is. XD</p><p>While I'm a bit busy with Whumptober at the moment, I sometimes post fic recommendations on <a href="https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/"> my tumblr</a> between updates, so go check that out!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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